Animals

Research

Jump to: Other

16 pages, 5806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Investigation into the Effects of Changing Dorso-Plantar Hoof Balance on Equine Hind Limb Posture

by Yogi Sharp and Gillian Tabor

Animals 2022, 12(23), 3275; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233275 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 15121

Abstract

Links between poor hind hoof balance, pathologies in the hind limb and associated altered posture have been suggested but not quantified. The hoof is proposed as a neuro-sensory organ responsible for informing equine stance with implications for musculoskeletal health in the hind limb [...] Read more.

Links between poor hind hoof balance, pathologies in the hind limb and associated altered posture have been suggested but not quantified. The hoof is proposed as a neuro-sensory organ responsible for informing equine stance with implications for musculoskeletal health in the hind limb and trunk of the horse. This study aims to quantify equine limb posture and its relationship with hoof balance. Twelve horses presenting with negative plantar angles were photographed and limb posture documented before and after the creation of positive plantar angles and improved three-dimensional proportions around the centre of rotation of the distal-interphalangeal joint, using farriery prosthetics. The results showed that horses presenting with negative plantar angles had canted-in postures and that farriery intervention had a significant effect on hind limb orientation in seven of these horses. There was a significant difference in metatarsal angle pre and post intervention with the mean for pre intervention being 81.3° ± 5.1 and post intervention being 88.0° ± 3.8 in the right hind and 74.4° ± 3.7 and 87.1° ± 2.9 in the left hind. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that the hoof balance informs equine stance and can play a role in affecting limb posture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Lameness: Etiology, Preventive Strategies and Treatment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 7066 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Limb Lameness and Concurrent Axial Skeleton Pain and Dysfunction in Horses

by Mikaela D. Maldonado, Samantha D. Parkinson, Melinda R. Story and Kevin K. Haussler

Animals 2022, 12(20), 2845; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202845 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2532

Abstract

Chiropractic care is a common treatment modality used in equine practice to manage back pain and stiffness but has limited evidence for treating lameness. The objective of this blinded, controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of chiropractic treatment on chronic lameness [...] Read more.

Chiropractic care is a common treatment modality used in equine practice to manage back pain and stiffness but has limited evidence for treating lameness. The objective of this blinded, controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of chiropractic treatment on chronic lameness and concurrent axial skeleton pain and dysfunction. Two groups of horses with multiple limb lameness (polo) or isolated hind limb lameness (Quarter Horses) were enrolled. Outcome measures included subjective and objective measures of lameness, spinal pain and stiffness, epaxial muscle hypertonicity, and mechanical nociceptive thresholds collected on days 0, 14, and 28. Chiropractic treatment was applied on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. No treatment was applied to control horses. Data was analyzed by a mixed model fit separately for each response variable (p < 0.05) and was examined within each group of horses individually. Significant treatment effects were noted in subjective measures of hind limb and whole-body lameness scores and vertebral stiffness. Limited or inconsistent therapeutic effects were noted in objective lameness scores and other measures of axial skeleton pain and dysfunction. The lack of pathoanatomical diagnoses, multilimb lameness, and lack of validated outcome measures likely had negative impacts on the results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Lameness: Etiology, Preventive Strategies and Treatment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

13 pages, 19824 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

From Keratoma to Anaplastic Malignant Melanoma in a Horse’s Hoof

by Elżbieta Stefanik, Kamil Górski, Bernard Turek, Olga Drewnowska-Szczepakowska, Katarzyna Kliczkowska-Klarowicz and Aleksandra Stefanik

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3090; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223090 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2919

Abstract

Melanomas in horses are most often associated with gray, older horses with an average age of over 16 years. Anaplastic malignant melanoma, however, can very rarely affect non-gray horses. Herein, we report a case of a 16-year-old Wielkopolski gelding with a chronic lameness [...] Read more.

Melanomas in horses are most often associated with gray, older horses with an average age of over 16 years. Anaplastic malignant melanoma, however, can very rarely affect non-gray horses. Herein, we report a case of a 16-year-old Wielkopolski gelding with a chronic lameness caused by a mass in the hoof. The first resection of the lesion and histopathological examination confirmed the presence of a keratoma. The regrown mass and persistent lameness resulted in another mass resection. The second histopathological examination result suggested a neoplastic growth of melanocytic origin with a low histological malignancy. Less than 2 years after the first resection, the horse returned to the clinic with deformation of the hoof capsule and severe lameness. The result of the third histopathological examination indicated low-differentiated malignant neoplasm. The result of the immunohistochemically test indicates a tumor of melanocytic origin with high malignancy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Equine Lameness: Etiology, Preventive Strategies and Treatment)

► Show Figures